Pictures of You
by MidnightShadow07
Summary: She was there for the 10th anniversary of the Final battle, but aside from all the hurt and memories of her fallen friends, Ria Persephone Black discovers a secret Harry has been holding back from her for those years. One-shot! 4th out of 5 one-shots


**A/N: The title is from the song by The Last Goodnight. There is one last one-shot after this and end of these characters, which I will miss. Please review and let me know what you think!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognize**

**Pictures of You**

It's been over two years since Ria returned to the world she grew up for twenty-five years of her life; and she was a nervous wreck. In the two years she lived in Portland she helped her cousin, Nick Burkhardt, with who had ordered the kill on his parents, figure out how his mother survived, find a cure for his fiancée Juliette, and bring peace back to the town. Ria felt that her cousin needed a vacation after all that–so did she and Neal.

Just the year before Nick and Neal Caffrey finally met and got along great, despite that Nick was a cop and Neal a con artist criminal. However, that was before Neal ran to escape the FBI that was hot on his tail. His partner (and friend), Peter Burke, told her that he told Neal to run because of his old mentor wanting to keep him prison–still–in Washington D.C. to help solve all the cases the FBI and government have trouble solving.

Overall the good behavior Neal worked so hard to achieve–which wasn't so easy to do with him–was _never_ going to let him be free.

That is until three months ago, thanks to Ria. She had to reveal herself to Peter, his wife Elizabeth, and Neal's friend (and mentor) Mozzie so they wouldn't have questioned all the confusion questions and help lift the spell she placed on those that helped free Neal. However, everyone was surprised to find that both Elizabeth and Mozzie were both Muggle-born. To say the least Peter questioned his wife about all the years they've been together, and what a conversation Nick, Neal, and Mozzie were glad to have sat through.

Now there they were in front of June's many fireplaces. That was another surprise. June knew all about the magical world as her sister went to magic school in Massachusetts, as did her granddaughter. At least Neal now knew how June found certain things out about what he and Mozzie were doing…not to mention having eyes in the back of her head, which he still believes to be true.

"I knew there was something different about you." June had told her when she caught the group talking about magic fireplaces. "But it's been so long since I've been intact with that world that I didn't put the pieces together." June hugged the young woman, still feeling the somber and tension when Neal came out to meet them. "It's hard remembering all those you lost, I know; but it will get easier with time. Just remember all the good things about them."

With a nod from the younger woman June took them to the smallest room with the largest fireplace in the whole house. She let them know that the floo network was already hooked up and the powder was in a blue glassed bowl on top of a tall wood top metal base stand with a leafy design near the top before leaving them be. Smiling with pure excitement of what was to come Ria explained how flooing worked while calling Harry–McGonagall did wonders in letting technology into the magical castle–as he was already at Hogwarts to watch out for her cousins…and to record the reactions when they came through.

The amusement, however, never came when Ria stepped through the fireplace. The somber mood upon the office of the headmistress was thick and unsettling for the two men new to that world. Introductions were made when Ria took her time to get there. The tenth anniversary of the final battle was taking a toll on her, as well as remembering the one she loved and lost. Harry and his family greeted Ria, as she was the last person to have fought in the battle to be there before McGonagall led them out of her office and to the corridor in which was a memorabilia for the fallen.

Both Nick and Neal walked on either side of their young cousin, knowing that she was going to need the support from them more than the others. Ria had told Nick once he finally trusted her about her life at Hogwarts and all that happened in her last year of school. As they walked to the entrance of the corridor of the portraits for the fallen everyone greeted Harry, Ginny, and Ria before listening to McGonagall giving her speech.

Ria ignored her old professor and slipped her hands into Nick and Neal's hands, her grip tightening with each second that passed. Once McGonagall gave the go ahead slowly people started to cry silently or loudly. Ria was beginning to hyperventilate as her death grip on both her cousins did nothing for the memories of that whole year coming back to her at full force–as well as what could have been should some of them were alive to this day. Standing before the portrait of Severus Snape did Ria finally broke down, Neal the only thing that was holding her up. He may have been a jerk, but he was a good professor and a good man, having to keep secret of his love for Harry's mother and always being in the side of good all those years until his death.

Neal hugged her around the waist as he placed his chin on top of her head, looking at Nick sorrowfully. Neither of them knew how to comfort the hurt their young cousin was going through, or the secret she holds from the others. Harry, Ron, and Hermione walked over to them and took Ria into their arms, giving the words that they knew would ease the pain just a little bit. But it wasn't until Harry, who had hugged her last, told her what he could have never told her all these years.

"Scabior had a plan to help us escape from Malfoy Manor," Harry told her slowly, Ria looking at him confused. "He sent me a note that I didn't get until after we buried Dobby and you had returned to Hogwarts."

Ria shook her head, closing her eyes to see if she was hearing things or not. "What are you talking about? What note?"

Harry took a deep breath, "Scabior wrote a note to me and sent it via-owl to the Weasley's, which Remus brought to me when his son was born. He wanted us to protect you until he was able to get into Hogwarts and switch sides."

"That was how we were able to clear his name," Hermione told her softly. "With that note and from what we were able to testify to the Ministry, they cleared his name."

"But it wasn't enough, apparently," Ria said with a shuddered breath, trying to contain her anger and tears. "His portrait isn't on this wall like the others."

The trio of friends looked at each other before Harry spoke up again. Ria's eyes flashed with such confusion and heartache that she didn't know if what he was saying was even possible or if it was even true. Why, after all these years, were they telling her this _now_ and on the anniversary of the final battle? Seeing the look both Nick and Neal slowly made their way over to their cousin to make sure that she didn't do anything to not only hurt herself, but hurt her friends as well.

"There's a reason for that…Scabior's _alive_, Ria. I received a letter from him two days ago. That's why there isn't a portrait of him on this wall." Harry told her softly.

She wanted to yell, cry, and curse but all Ria did was stare at Harry, breathing heavily, and letting her cousins hold her arms lightly–not that she noticed. She was happy to hear that the one she loved was alive and well, but his name was cleared _years_ ago, so why had he never shown his face or revealed himself to her? And _why_ contact Harry? Why not her?

"Because of all the Death Eaters that were still on the loose years ago," Harry told her, letting Ria know that she was asking questions out loud. "He didn't want to bring you any more trouble because if they knew he was alive and helping us they would have gone after him or anyone he cared about." he shrugged sheepishly, looking like the little boy she knew so well in school, "And he couldn't find you when he surfaced a year ago–after the final capture of the Death Eaters. _That's_ why he contacted me, he couldn't find you."

A hand going to her heart, Ria finally let all her emotions pour out and cried, falling to her knees. She leaned forward so that her forehead touched the cool tiled floor, confused of all that's she's learned and of the emotions of remembering the battle, and of all the portraits of dead friends and professors that she cared deeply. Nick and Neal were by her side, Neal rubbing her back as Nick placed a hand on her neck and upper back, trying to message some of the tension away. The five of them just let the other woman cry it out, knowing that she's been holding on to this for too long.

But what now?

Ria wasn't sure if she was ready to find him, despite that she desperately wanted to. But the hurt from his hiding and that he was alive hurt her more. If she would have known earlier she wouldn't hate him as much as she did now for making her feel all these emotions. For making her as miserable as anyone who lost their loved one–their other half.

No, she wasn't going to find him.

The pictures of him and the two of them together during that year she went back and forth between Hogwarts and her friends was enough. She wasn't going back to the Wizarding world, no. She was going to live in the States and the life of a Grimm, not the witch, and be happily single as she knew there was never going to be another Scabior.

Yes, those pictures will always be enough.


End file.
